Officials, not Brady, have last word on last pass

We don't know what Tom Brady said to the officials as he ran off the field and up the tunnel with them to the locker room, barking all the way, after the game Monday night in Charlotte.

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By
Jim Donaldson
Posted Nov. 18, 2013 @ 11:41 pm

We don't know what Tom Brady said to the officials as he ran off the field and up the tunnel with them to the locker room, barking all the way, after the game Monday night in Charlotte.

But it certainly was much more emotional -- and probably a lot more colorful -- than his comments to the media after he'd showered and changed.

"I didn't really see the play," he said of the penalty flag that was thrown -- then picked up and waved off -- in the end zone on the final play of a disappointing, 24-21 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

"I don't know whether it was a good call or a bad call."

There didn't seem to be much doubt about what Brady thought in the seconds after he threw a pass in the direction of tight end Rob Gronkowski in the end zone as time expired.

As to whether Gronk could have caught the ball, well, we'll never know that either.

Because it appeared as if he had been prevented from getting to it -- was held, interfered with, whatever you want to say -- by Carolina's star linebacker, Luke Kuechly.

"I thought it was going to be pass interference," Gronkowski said.

The back judge, Terrence Williams, apparently thought so, too.

At least initially.

"The back judge saw that there was contact," referee Clete Blakeman explained afterwards, "and the defender was not playing the ball, and that led him to throw (a penalty flag) for defensive pass interference. That was the initial call."

But it didn't stand.

After a consultation, the officials decided the pass was uncatchable.

"You never like to end the game with some controversy like that on a call," Blakeman said, "but I'm pleased that out officiating crew got together, communicated, discussed it, and ultimately, I believe, got it right."

Brady clearly didn't think that was the right call at the time, but thought better of it afterwards.

Or, at least, thought it best to keep his true thoughts to himself.

"I don't make the calls or the rules," he said. "I wish it wouldn't have come down to that. But it did, and they are going to make a call or they are not going to make a call."

Either way, it really shouldn't have come down to that.

With the score tied at 17 in the fourth quarter, the Patriots started a drive at the Carolina 39, but wound up settling for just three points, instead of getting the ball into the end zone.

The Panthers took the ensuing kickoff and drove 83 yards to the winning touchdown.

"There are plenty of plays we could have made," Brady said. "We had plenty of chances. Shot ourselves in the foot too many times."

Although Brady had a good game -- completing 29 of 40 for 296 yards and a touchdown while nearly pulling off a miracle comeback in the final minute -- Carolina's young quarterback, Cam Newton, had an even better one.

He threw for three touchdowns while completing 19 of 28 for 209 yards. He also had several dazzling runs, picking up 62 yards on the ground on seven carries.

"We moved the ball pretty well," Brady said. "We just couldn't punch it in and get enough points.

"They played better than we did. They made a few more plays. that's just the way it goes sometimes."